1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing lures as used in sport fishing, and more particularly concerns sinking-type lures that attract fish by virtue of motion achieved by being pulled through a body of water by an attached fishing lure.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the field of fishing lure apparatus, the use of spoons, either alone or in combination with other lure components, is well known. The term "spoon" is used because of the slightly hollowed or cupped shape which characterizes such devices.
A great many kinds of spoons and mounting mechanisms for spoons have been disclosed in a variety of shapes and sizes. The most commonly employed type of spoon is pear-shaped, having a narrow extremity provided with an aperture which permits pendant mounting to the lure or fishing line. In such pendant position, the long center axis of the spoon is disposed at an angled relationship with respect to the taut fishing line that secures the lure. When pulled through the water, spoons typically rotate about their long center axis.
Spoons can also be disposed upon a fishing line or lure in a manner to produce a motion other than axial rotation. For example, spoons which presumably have a flapping motion are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,086. Spoons which revolve about the axis of the fishing line, and which are sometimes referred to as "spinners" are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,206,274, 3,488,877 and 4,885,866. Although often effective as an attractant for fish, spoons that rotate about their axis or revolve about the fishing line axis have a tendency to twist the fishing line.
Multi-lobed and propeller-shaped spinners having the specialized property of slowing the rate of descent of a sinking lure on a slack fishing line are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,201,859, 5,327,671 and 5,412,900 to William Rosek.
Spoon-like deflector plates are utilized on many rigid-body lures having a fish-like appearance. In such applications, the deflector plate, having a contour which is generally concave in the direction of the fishing line, is fixedly attached to the forward extremity of the lure. The function of the deflector plate is to impart a wobbling, diving or other erratic motion to the lure.
Factors that are generally considered to attract fish to an artificial lure include shape, size, color, motion, noise, vibration and reflective surfaces. Lures that provide several of said attracting features will generally be more successful or more versatile than lures providing fewer attracting factors. With respect to the motion of the lure, many fishermen manipulate their fishing rods by jerking, twitching, pulling, pumping or pause-and-retrieve operations to impart a sought movement to the lure.
In the course of pumping or pause-and-retrieve manipulation, there is a brief period of time where the lure begins a descending motion. During such descending motion, it is desirable that the lure's rate of descent be slowed, and that the lure maintains its attractiveness. Another generally valued characteristic of fishing lures is the ability to be modified by the fisherman to suit the needs of different fishing situations.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a fishing lure device which provides multiple fish-attracting factors.
It is another object of this invention to provide a lure as in the foregoing object which can be removably associated with an existing lure to improve the performance thereof.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a lure of the aforesaid nature which can retard the rate of descent of an existing lure to which it is attached.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide a lure of the aforesaid nature of simple, durable construction amenable to low cost manufacture.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.